After the Whistle: Amanda-Clearcreek wrestlers shine under pressure

Feb. 25, 2013

Written by

Vince Nairn

The Eagle-Gazette Staff

When the pressure was at its highest during Saturday’s Division III district wrestling meet, Amanda-Clearcreek was at its best.

The Aces qualified a school-record eight wrestlers to next week’s state meet, but six of them qualified in win-or-go-home situations. The top four finishers from each weight class qualified to the state meet, but half of those spots in each class come from the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

Jared Dilley (first, 138) and J.J. Tipton (second, 170) were the only two Aces to avoid the loser’s bracket. All other Amanda-Clearcreek qualifiers faced a match where a win put them in the state meet and a loss ended their seasons.

“We knew going into the year we could take this many to states,” Tipton said. “We were fearless. We didn’t show any emotion. We went out and wrestled the way we knew how, and it was amazing.”

Freshman Joey Coe lost his first match of the weekend at 113 and was sent to the loser’s bracket early. But Coe won four win-or-go-home matches to earn a state berth and finished fourth.

Nick Hoffman (126) won three matches in the loser’s bracket to earn his state bid.

“I know there was a lot of good kids in my bracket, especially a lot of seniors,” Hoffman said. “I know they wanted it. I was just trying to keep it all together. Win or go home. That’s it.”

Coe added: “Coming into the year, the goal was to go to state for most of the team, really. I knew I had a chance, so I wasn’t going to let it slip. I knew I had to take advantage of everything.”

Billy Shannon (120) won his consolation semifinal match to qualify for the state meet despite trailing 4-0 midway through the second period. Shannon turned around his fortunes quickly, however, and pinned his opponent to advance to the state meet for the second year in a row.

“I was scared,” Shannon said. “I was. But I knew I could do it, and I did it.”

Caleb Horn (152) had an identical bracket to last season, when he missed the state meet by a match. As he did last year, Horn lost to Shadyside’s Alex Quinn (the eventual champion) in his semifinal match. But in his consolation semifinal match against Zac Potts from Monroe Central, who beat Horn last season, Horn pulled out a close win.

“It was redemption,” Horn said. “It felt good.”

Steven Fearnow (160) qualified as an alternate fo the district meet this season but was able to emerge as a state qualifier. After losing to Bloom-Carroll’s Zach Gibson in the semifinals, Fearnow won his consolation semifinal 9-4.

Jordan Leasure (182) had tasted defeat only four times in his freshman season before losing his semifinal match Saturday. But Leasure rebounded to hang on for a 1-0 win in the consolation semifinals.

“I just had to keep doing what I’ve been doing all year,” Leasure said. “I just thought, ‘Calm yourself. Keep your head.’”

Other scribbles

Aces coach Brian Brison on Coe and Hoffman’s extended runs in the loser’s bracket: “It’s pretty gutsy. You have to really focus the whole time. It’s districts. Everyone is good here. It’s really impressive how they battled through that way. I haven’t seen many people do that.”

Bloom-Carroll’s Chandler Minnard recorded his 50th win in his championship match at 120 pounds. Minnard claimed the district title and is also closing in on 100 career wins as only a sophomore.

Liberty Union sent four wrestlers to the district meet, with Aaron Goodman (182) taking the team’s top finish at sixth place. Goodman was one match from qualifying to the state meet before falling to West Jefferson’s Carter Harris.

There are 14 area wrestlers who have qualified for next week’s state meet, listed below by school: